World News

Video shows hostages rejoicing at moment of rescue

AP - 1 hour, 59 minutes ago

BOGOTA, Colombia - Video recorded during the rescue of 15 rebel hostages shows them filing grim-faced toward the helicopter that would fly them to safety, then hugging one another and crying with joy after they are aloft and realize they are free.

Middle East News

  • U.S. Army soldiers dine on a special Independence Day menu at the dining facility at Forward Operating Base Warhorse in Baqouba, 35 miles (60 kilometers) northeast of Baghdad, Iraq on Friday, July 4, 2008. Across Iraq, America's Independence Day is a normal work day for most U.S. troops. But the military throws in a taste of home at larger bases with corn on the cob, ribs and red, white and blue cakes. (AP Photo/Maya Alleruzzo)
    US soldiers in Iraq mark Fourth of July AP - 16 minutes ago

    BAQOUBA, Iraq - It's Staff Sgt. Edgar Covarrubias' second Fourth of July in Iraq. No family barbecue, no fireworks, but Covarrubias says he'll call his mom, wife and kids to share the day anyway.

  • US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,113 AP - 44 minutes ago

    As of Friday, July 4, 2008, at least 4,113 members of the U.S. military have died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count.

  • A Canadian court on Friday ruled that the Immigration and Refugee Board had erred in refusing political asylum to a US man who sought to avoid military service in Iraq, and ordered a new hearing.(IRBC)
    Gunmen assassinate Shiite official in Iraq AP - 2 hours, 48 minutes ago

    BAGHDAD - Gunmen on a motorcycle assassinated an official of Iraq's biggest Shiite party Friday in the southern city of Basra, police said.

Europe News

  • French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt (C) poses with her daughter Melanie (R), her son Lorenzo (L) and her nephew at the Elysee palace in Paris July 4, 2008. (Charles Platiau/Reuters)
    Betancourt gets hero's welcome in Paris Reuters - 1 hour, 50 minutes ago

    PARIS (Reuters) - French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt was given a hero's welcome on Friday in France, where President Nicolas Sarkozy had made her release a foreign policy priority and thousands had campaigned for her freedom for years.

  • UK court: Pringles are potato-light, tax-free AP - 2 hours, 3 minutes ago

    LONDON - Britain's High Court has ruled that Pringles are not a potato snack, and thus are not subject to value-added tax.

  • Netherlands bans Iranian students from nuclear studies AFP - 2 hours, 7 minutes ago

    THE HAGUE (AFP) - The Netherlands will ban Iranian students from studying nuclear technology, a source of tension between Iran and world powers, at its universities, the government said Friday.

Latin America

  • In this frame grab from a video released by Colombia's Army taken on July 2, 2008 and released on July 4, 2008, hostage Ingrid Betancourt, left, sits next to Colombian solder William Perez, right, in a helicopter as she reacts while being rescued from captivity by a Colombian military mission in an unknown location in Colombia's Guaviare state.  Betancourt is one of 15 hostages rescued by Colombia's military from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.  Betancourt was abducted by the FARC when running for president in Feb. 2002. (AP Photo/Colombian Army)
    Video shows hostages rejoicing at moment of rescue AP - 1 hour, 59 minutes ago

    BOGOTA, Colombia - Video recorded during the rescue of 15 rebel hostages shows them filing grim-faced toward the helicopter that would fly them to safety, then hugging one another and crying with joy after they are aloft and realize they are free.

  • Trial of former Suriname dictator begins AP - 2 hours, 55 minutes ago

    PARAMARIBO, Suriname - The long-awaited trial of a former South American dictator accused of a 1982 massacre began Friday with testimony from a member of the firing squad.

  • Former hostage Ingrid Betancourt  reacts after arriving at Villacoublay air base, outside Paris, Friday July 4, 2008. The dual French-Colombian citizen was freed Wednesday in a daring military rescue operation that also liberated three U.S. military contractors and 11 others held captive by Colombian rebels. (AP Photo/Michel Spingler)
    Colombians mull Betancourt presidency AP - Fri Jul 4, 2:53 PM ET

    BOGOTA, Colombia - Could Ingrid Betancourt become Colombia's next president?

Africa News

  • Hashim Amla's fine start to South Africa's tour of England continued with another big century on Friday while Ashwell Prince also weighed in with a hundred on the first day against Middlesex at Uxbridge.(AFP/File/Dibyangshu Sarkar)
    Smith will come good says Prince AFP - Fri Jul 4, 5:07 PM ET

    LONDON (AFP) - Ashwell Prince told South Africa cricket fans not to worry about the form of Graeme Smith after the Proteas captain's first, and possibly only, innings before next week's first Test against England saw him make just 35 against Middlesex here Friday.

  • Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai addresses the media in Harare on July 2, 2008. Tsvangirai made clear he would not recognise his old rival as the rightful head of state and also dismissed the AU's calls for a national unity government as such an arrangement would not reflect the will of the people.(AFP/File/Alexander Joe)
    Recognise me as Zimbabwe president or no talks: Mugabe AFP - Fri Jul 4, 4:39 PM ET

    HARARE (AFP) - A defiant Robert Mugabe ruled out the prospect of talks with his opponents on ending Zimbabwe's political crisis Friday unless they acknowledged his victory in a one-man presidential election.

  • Zambia's President Levy Mwanawasa addresses the media in Lusaka June 22, 2008. (Mackson Wasamunu/Reuters)
    Zambia asks Mbeki to explain comment on Mwanawasa Reuters - Fri Jul 4, 2:28 PM ET

    LUSAKA (Reuters) - Zambia has demanded that South Africa explain why President Thabo Mbeki announced publicly that Zambian leader Levy Mwanawasa had died, state television reported on Friday.

Asia News

  • Afghan policemen stand beside a field of poppies in Helmand Province, in March 2008. South Korean police said Friday that nine people have been arrested for trying to smuggle tons of chemicals for heroin production to Afghanistan's Taliban insurgents.(AFP/File/Abdul Malik)
    US military deaths in Afghanistan region at 468 AP - 43 minutes ago

    As of Friday, July 4, 2008, at least 468 members of the U.S. military had died in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan as a result of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan in late 2001, according to the Defense Department. The department last updated its figures June 28 at 10 a.m. EDT.

  • Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds bats against West Indies at Warner Park in Basseterre, St Kitts during their one-day international match. Symonds top scored with 87 and David Hussey supported with 50 to help Australia to a thrilling one-run win on Friday over West Indies.(AFP/Stan Honda)
    Australia take 4-0 lead with narrow cricket victory AFP - 58 minutes ago

    BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AFP) - Shane Watson kept his nerve, and the seventh-wicket pair of Denesh Ramdin and Darren Sammy failed to carry West Indies over the threshold, as Australia completed a thrilling one-run victory in the fourth One-day International on Friday.

  • Australia sneak a win AFP - 1 hour, 51 minutes ago

    BASSETERRE, St Kitts (AFP) - Andrew Symonds top scored with 87 and David Hussey supported with 50 to help Australia to a thrilling one-run win on Friday over West Indies in the fourth One-day International in St Kitts.

Canada

  • A sign is seen outside the offices of BCE Inc., Canada's largest telecoms group, in Montreal, May 21, 2008. REUTERS/Shaun Best
    BCE buyers finalize funding Reuters - 1 hour, 51 minutes ago

    TORONTO (Reuters) - Announcing what it said were "essential milestones" allowing the world's largest leveraged buyout to go ahead, BCE Inc said on Friday that its buyers had finalized funding and were sticking to their C$34.8-billion ($34.1 billion) purchase price.

  • New Ford trucks are on display for sale at a car lot in Carlsbad California January 14, 2008. REUTERS/Mike Blake
    Canadian imports of U.S. vehicles on record pace Reuters - Fri Jul 4, 12:48 PM ET

    TORONTO (Reuters) - The number of vehicles imported into Canada from the United States in 2008 is well on pace to break last year's record high, according to data compiled by the North American Automobile Trade Association.

  • Prime Minister Stephen Harper speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa June 17, 2008. REUTERS/Chris Wattie
    Business group pushes Harper to back WTO farm deal Reuters - Fri Jul 4, 5:26 PM ET

    OTTAWA (Reuters) - A powerful Canadian business group wants Prime Minister Stephen Harper to change his stance on agricultural trade to help achieve a breakthrough in the Doha Round of world trade talks.

Australia/Antarctica News

  • People walk past a large poster of Pope Benedict XVI displayed outside St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, on July 3, during the lead-up to World Youth Day. Australia is one of the least religious nations in the western world, research showed Friday, as the country prepares to host the Pope.(AFP/Greg Wood)
    Pope faces lack of faith in Australia: survey AFP - Fri Jul 4, 2:01 AM ET

    SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia is one of the least religious nations in the western world, research showed Friday, as the country prepares to host Pope Benedict XVI and Catholic World Youth Day celebrations this month.

  • New Zealand trucks snarl cities in tax protest AP - Thu Jul 3, 9:08 PM ET

    WELLINGTON, New Zealand - Morning rush-hour traffic slowed to a crawl in most New Zealand cities Friday as truckers snarled highways and streets with thousands of vehicles to protest higher road taxes.

  • In this Sept. 4, 2007 file photo, Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer gestures in Sydney. Downer has accepted a post as the U.N. special envoy in charge of finding a solution to the longstanding conflict in Cyprus, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Tuesday, July 1, 2008. (AP Photo/Rob Griffith,File)
    Former Australia foreign minister quits politics AP - Thu Jul 3, 11:26 AM ET

    ADELAIDE, Australia - Alexander Downer announced Thursday he is quitting Australian politics following a career as the country's longest-serving foreign minister and one of its highest-profile leaders of the past decade.

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